Holly

Back in 2008, breeding Céleste for the first time, I was looking for the perfect match to start the second generation. When I found Exel (Dutch/American CH Swallowsflight Excalibur's Enigma TDI CGC), I knew he was exactly what I was looking for! So the whole crew went on a road trip to Iowa and met him in DesMoines. The King Arthur litter gave me gorgeous and great working dogs and I kept the yellow girl, who became Holly.

My venerable Holly was the best balanced dog I've ever had. She had a 'low profile' personality, always calm, but everything she was doing, she was doing it well and when it was time to put her paw in the middle of something, like her grand-mother Nova, she was leaving her mark, as any good 'pack leader' should do. Something good about her is that she kept playing with my younger dogs, especially with her daughter Blanche, one of the best looking girls I've ever seen.

On her first show in May 2009, she earned 'Winners Bitch' and 'Best puppy in Breed' for a major. At that same show, at her first show after that litter, Céleste took 'Best of Breed' against the number one flat-coated retriever in USA and Canada at the time. Holly continued like this until October 2009 when she became Champion, even defeating her uncle Baxter who was going for his 'Grand Champion' title, earning only majors every time she was in the show ring, no single point, a first for Knightcastle at the time.

In summer of the same year, at the age of only 9 months, she easily earned her Working Certificate and then, in the fields with her two brothers Balin and Jester and uncle Baxter, they all earned their Junior Hunter title. I remember the judges calling the qualifiers at the table after the test. Four Knightcastle dogs at the time, it was quite impressive!

In December 2009 she went under an urgent surgery due to a rope toy that was blocking her digestive system and she recovered perfectly. Don't ever leave your dog alone with a 'rope toy'.

In 2010-2011, Holly and her mother Céleste were certified 'therapy dogs' with Therapy Paws of Canada.

She earned her rally-o Novice and obedience CD titles in spring of 2010. But wait, on 21 September 2019, she obtained her rally 'intermediate' title at the age of 11, nine years after earning her novice title. Holly was a great dock diver too. She didn't jump as far as uncle Baxter was but she's steady. In August 2018, at almost ten, she earned her 'Dock Diving Novice' title.

She had three litters, carrying a total of 34 puppies. So far, Holly produced 5 Champion dogs, including two Grand Champions, Luka in Canada and Tucker in USA, the first operational certified Search and Rescue dog (Thy) and also the first Bermuda Champion and Best in Show winner (Indigo).

On Forrest's last days, she was following him all the time, letting me know something was wrong with her half-brother. She had a sense of 'je ne sais quoi' and was fulfilling perfectly her role as eldest dog in my pack for a long time.

I realized that Holly was my only dog who knew all my flatcoats, from the first one, Darwin, up to her grand-kids from the 2021 Romantics litter. She was also my last dog from that crazy part of my life when I created Knightcastle, going from events to events across Canada and USA and also the last dog born in the original house in Mascouche (Québec), where Knightcastle was founded in 2005.

It’s hard to write about Holly, but every time I am thinking about her, there is something that makes me smile. After 4739 days together, she passed away in my arms on September 3 2021, nine days shy of her thirteenth birthday. She was simply an amazing dog to have around and a once in a lifetime one.

It has been an honour and a priviledge to have her in my life. I hope she felt the same. Rest in peace my beautiful Hollywood. Respect.